Sharing Piggies in St Mary Cray, 1918

St Mary Cray Pig-Keeping Society

Nearly 800 shares Applied for

A meeting of the committee of the newly-formed Pig-keeping Association for St Mary Cray was held at the Council Schools on Monday evening, Mr George Dow (Chairman of the Parish Council) presiding.

Mr Cecil Berens (Secretary of the society) was able to announce that application had come to hand to date for 265 shares, and of these a considerable number came through Mr H. West, Mr G. Ogburn, and Mr F Stanger.

It was decided that a special appeal should be addressed to allotment-holders under the Parish Council to take up shares and it was also resolved that the collection of the full amount, or instalments, payable on shares, should be commenced forthwith, those authorised to collect being Messrs. C. Berens, G. Ogburn, F. Stanger, and H West, who will do son on behalf of the committee. Members can also post on their share amounts to the Hon. Treasurer, Mr F Stanger, an account being opened with Messrs. Martin and Co bank (St Mary Cray branch).

The Chairman remarked that unless they commence the business in a fairly large way they could not hope to make it pay. The Clerk explained that application had gone to the Local Government Board inquiring, on behalf of the society, whether a parish council possessed the power of raising money out of the rates (such money to be repaid) for such a purpose as this, and the meeting authorised the Clerk to make application to the Board of Agriculture on behalf of the society for a grant towards the initial outlay.

It was considered by the committee that it would be cheaper to have the piggeries erected by local people than to go in for the costly timber offered under Government conditions. Mr Stanger said this was the kind of thing they wanted.

It was therefore decided that at the next meeting of the committee plans and an estimate of the cost of the erection of the piggeries should be laid before the members.

Hugh Bertram Neely, 2nd Lieu., was first-class sportsman and Dentist, who died in a partially ruined village church near Ypres on 25th April 1915. His brother Clive died the following year. footstepstothepast.c…pic.twitter.com/Gba9…

Private Ronald Young Hedderwick of the Honourable Artillery Company. He was killed by a sniper having just woken up on the 16th May 1915. He grave is inscribed with the words 'HE FOUGHT HIS WAY TO EVERLASTING LIFE MET BY HIS GOD'S… footstepstothepast.c…pic.twitter.com/eaB2…